According to a study conducted by Ontario’s Ministry of Health “…for the management of low-back pain, chiropractic care is the most effective treatment, and it should be fully integrated into the government’s health care system.” The same study also found, “…injured workers … diagnosed with low-back pain returned to work much sooner when treated by chiropractors than by physicians.”

According to the British Medical Research Council Study, spinal manipulation performed by chiropractors was found more effective than alternative treatments for low-back pain.

According to medical researcher TW Meade, M.D. “…chiropractic is a very effective treatment, more effective than conventional hospital outpatient treatment for low-back pain, particularly in patients who had back pain in the past and who got severe problems”.

The Effectiveness and Cost Effectiveness of Chiropractic Management of Low-Back Pain (The Manga Report). Pran Manga and Associates (1993) – University of Ottawa, Canada.

Low Back Pain of Mechanical Origin: Randomized Comparison of Chiropractic and Hospital Outpatient Treatment. Meade, TW et al British Medical Journal – 1990;300:1431-1437.

Chiropractic Treatment vs. Standard Medical Care

Patient Evaluations of Care from Family Physicians and Chiropractors. ACA Journal of Chiropractic – 1989.

Chiropractic Treatment vs. Outpatient Hospital Treatment 

In this study, British medical researchers found chiropractic treatment significantly more effective than hospital outpatient treatment, especially in patients with chronic and severe back pain. Significantly fewer patients needed to return for further treatments at the end of the first and second year in those who received chiropractic care (17% compared with 24%). In addition, “two and three years after patients with back pain were treated by chiropractors, they experienced far less pain than those who were treated by medical doctors.”

The Effectiveness and Cost Effectiveness of Chiropractic Management of Low-Back Pain (The Manga Report). Pran Manga and Associates (1993) – University of Ottawa, Canada.

Chiropractic Treatment vs. Physiotherapy

Spinal manipulation provided greater improvement of symptoms in those suffering from persistent back and neck complaints compared with physical therapy. The patients receiving spinal manipulation also had greater improvements of physical functioning in fewer visits.

Randomized Clinical Trial of Manipulative Therapy and Physiotherapy for Persistent Back and Neck Complaints: Results of One Year Follow Up. Koes, B.W. et al. British Medical Journal – 1992;304:601-605.

Chiropractic Treatment (spinal manipulation) vs. Massage

In a group of patients, those receiving spinal manipulation obtained pain relief in a shorter period of time compared with massage. Also, significantly more subjects were able to return to work 6 months after treatment in the chiropractic treatment group compared with the massage therapy group (60% vs. 36%).

A Canadian study found spinal manipulation resulted in significantly greater back mobility compared with massage at 2 weeks (30% vs 15%).